Adhesived recording label



United States Patent O 3,517,450 ADHESIVED RECORDING LABEL Michael R.Greco, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Professional Tape Co., Inc.,Riverside, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 23, 1968, Ser. No.707,580 Int. Cl. A44c 3/00 U.S. Cl. -2 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE The recording label of this invention has means, such asadhesive, in a narrow band along one edge by which it is removablyattachable to a necked bottle or similar vari-contoured container offlowable material with the one edge, which may have volumetric markings,closely conforming to the container contours while also extending in aplane, the remainder of the label being free of the container. This freeportion is engageable smoothly on the container surface for clear andlegible recording of data on any part of the label front face, and alsoserves as an attention-arresting flag BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thelabel, as indicated, is of a type on which entries are recorded when itis secured on a container. It is of general application, but isespecially useful in the administration of intravenous solutions andintended particularly for such use. In intravenous injection, it isimportant that an accurate record be kept as to the solution used andthe details of its administration. Various methods have been employedfor this purpose, usually requiring the provision of a record sheet onwhich were to be entered, either originally or from some earlier entryor record, such details as the rate of flow of the solution, the timesof starting and stopping the administration, and the times at which andthe persons by whom the patient and the procedure Were checked. Suchmethods not only take up much time, but greatly enhance the possibilityof error in making or copying such entries, or of overlooking andomitting them, especially during busy periods in a medical facility.

It has been proposed to employ an adhesive label for detachablesecurement to the intravenous solution bottle, on which label thedesired entries may be made. Volumetric markings may be employed on thelabel for gauging the quantity of solution discharged (or remaining) atthe time of each check, to determine whether the rate of solution flowis that prescribed. After administration of the solution is completed,the label may be removed from the bottle and adhesively secured in themedical record of the patient.

Entries must `be made on such a label while it is secured on the bottle.It is therefore important that the label lie closely on or against thebottle surface, for otherwise entries cannot be made legibly, if theycan be made at all. Intravenous bottles and other containers foriiowable material normally are formed with a generally cylindrical bodyportion having a neck portion tapering to the mouth, thus presentingsurfaces curved about a plurality of different axes. They may forconvenience be described as vari-contoured. A label of the type involvedmust extend close to the mouth of the bottle so as to allowdetermination of the solution Volume even as the bottle approachesemptiness, and thus must extend over both the body and neck portions ofthe container. The proposed label is secured over its entire area to thebottle, and therefore cannot conform to such vari-contoured containersurfaces, becoming distorted and wrinkled particularly adjacent the neckportion. It therefore presents serious practical problems affecting itsutility.

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The present invention solves the problems arising in the use of theforegoing label, and provides other advantages thereover.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The label of the present invention provides forits attachment to a vari-contoured container, such as an intravenoussolution bottle, by adhesive disposed within only a narrow area or bandalong an edge portion, on the reverse face, with the remaining portionof the label extending free of the container. The narrow contactingportion follows the bottle contours closely, with the adjacent edgesubstantially straight, that is, in an axial plane ofthe cylindricalbody. The front face of the label is graduated in volumetric units alongthis edge for determining the volume of solution or other materialdischarged from the bottle or similar container, which may betransparent or otherwise constructed to allow of easily ascertaining thesolution level. Any part or area of the free portion of the label may besmoothly supported by the bottle surface to allow entries to be writteneasily and legibly, without any great change in the position of thecontainer. An additional advantage is provided by the free portion ofthe label, in that it stands out from the bottle or other container as asort of warning llag to attract attention and thus minimize thepossibility of any of the desired checks on the solution beingoverlooked.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an entry-recordinglabel attachable to a necked bottle or similar vari-contoured containerwithout substantial distortion to allow legible recording of entriesthereon; to provide such a label attachable with a portion free of thecontainer for engagement at any part smoothly on the container surfacein recording of entries; and to provide a label attachable with aportion free of the container to act as an attention-attracting element.

Other and further objects, advantages, and features of the inventionwill be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a view of the front face of the label according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a View of the reverse face of the label of FIG. 1 on a reducedscale, -with an adhesive-covering backing partially removed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the label applied to an intravenoussolution bottle;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially as indicatedby the line 4-4 in FIG. 3, on a reduced scale; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3, but taken with theattached edge of the label in centered position.

Referring first to FIGS. l and 2, the recording label of the inventionis indicated generally at 10 as comprising an elongated substantiallyrectangular sheet or strip of paper or other thin, ilexible, butsubstantially inelastic material. While it is disclosed specically foruse in administration of an intravenous solution, it may be employed, oradapted for employment, in connection with other types of owablematerial. On its front or recording face, the label 10 is marked byprinting or otherwise to detine a space 11 `for entry of identifyingdata or the like. By way of example, the entries in the present instanceidentify the solution, the patient to Whom administered, and any addedmedication. Another space 12 is provided for entering the rate at whichthe solution is to be injected, in drops per minute or other units.Extending acrss the Width of the label is a straight line 13, which maybe arrowed at either end or both, to be set at the level of the solutioncontained in a bottle or other container when starting the intravenousadministration. It will be understood that the container is transparentor translucent to allow the level of its contents to be readilydetermined, or provided with a transparent insert or other viewing meansfor the purpose. Along one longitudinal edge 14 of the label, below theline 13, is a series of graduations or spaced marks 15, representingvolumetric units such as milliliters (commonly noted as cubiccentimeters), corresponding in total to the volume of solution at thestart of the procedure, 500 cc. in this case. Thus the volume ofsolution discharged at any time may be determined by noting the mark 15to which the solution has fallen. A line 16 is provided for entry of thetime at which the intravenous injection was begun, and by ascertainingthe period elapsed between that time and the time of observing thelowered` level, the average rate of flow or discharge is readilycalculated. This may be compared to that noted at 12, and adjusted if itdoes not correspond to the prescribed rate.

The times at which the intravenous administration procedure is verifiedor checked may be entered on appropriate lines 17, the number of vfwhichis at least equal to the number of checks to be made during theadministration of the bottle contents. Each line 17 is accompanied by aline 18 for receiving the signature or initials of the person making thecheck.

A line 19 similar to line 16 is provided for entry of the time at whichinjection of the solution is discontinued. Entries on the lines 16 and19 may be accompanied by the proper signature or initials. The startingand stopping time lines 16 and 19 preferably are located respectively ator near the top of the label, and at or near the lower end thereof,since this reduces the chances of their being overlooked.

T he reverse face of the label 10, as illustrated in FIG. 2, is coatedwith a suitable self-sticking (pressure-sensitive) adhesive indicated at20, of such character as to allow removable attachment of the label to abottle or other container of an intravenous solution or other flowablematerial. The adhesive 20 is covered by a readily removable releasesheet or backing which in the illustrated embodiment is divided by aseparation 21, for example a cut line, into a narrow marginal strip 22extending along the edge 14 0f the label, and a portion 23 covering theremainder of the reverse face. The strip 22 corresponds more or less tothe marginal portion on the front face of the label occupied by thevolumetric marks 15.

While the adhesive is in this instance shown as extending over theentire area of the label, the adhesived area 20 may be less than shown,always, however, including adhesive in the narrow area or bandunderlying the marginal strip 22. The application of adhesive may belimited to such narrow area or band, in which case only the backingstrip 22 is required. All or some of the adhesive employed may beapplied in spots or small areas, if desired, again with at least some ofthe adhesive in the narrow marginal band along the edge 14 underlyingthe backing strip 22. A backing portion such as 23- is of courseprovided for any adhesive outside of this band.

In using the label 10, the identifying data is entered in the space 11and the prescribed ilow or injection rate in space 12. The backing strip22 is then peeled from the reverse face to eexpose the adhesive in theunderlying narrow band, and the label attached to the invertedlysuspended intravenous bottle 25, as shown in FIG. 3, by setting the line13 at the level S of the solution in the inverted bottle and pressingthe adhesive against the bottle surface. In thus applying the label, theedge 14 is kept straight, or in other words in an axial plane of thecylindrical body of the bottle, while being conformed to the `bottlecontours, as will be understood from FGS. 3 and 5. The portion of thelabel without direct adhesive attach- -ment to the bottle stands outfree of the bottle, more or less tangentially, as best shown in FIG. 4,and hence is more noticeable than if it conformed to the bottle surface.The result is that it serves as a flagging or attention-attracting meansor element tending to prevent oversight of the regular checks on theprocedure and patient. The botitle 25 is provided with any desired meansfor supporting it in inverted discharging position, such as thearrangeemnt illustrated, which is well known and hence need not bedescribed.

When the administration of the intravenous solution is begun, thestarting time is noted on line 16. This may easily be done by bendingthe free portion of the label at the area about line 16 back against thebottle surface to lie smoothly thereon, and writing the appropriateentry on the smooth and firm surface thus available. The progress of theprocedure is checked at intervals to see that nothing untoward hasoccurred, to note the patients condition, and to determine whether thesolution is flowing at the proper rate. These checks are noted byentering the times thereof on successive lines 17, together with thesignature or initials of the attendant on the respective accompanyinglines 18. In each instance, the free portion of label 10 is disposedsmoothly against the bottle 25 to allow a clear and legible entry to bemade without difficulty, even at the part overlying the bottle neck.When the administration of the solution is discontinued, the time isnoted on line 19 and the label detached from the bottle. It may bementioned that the bottle is not completely emptied, in order to avoidthe possibility of air entering the patients bloodstream.

The label is then secured in the patients medical record by means of theadhesive 20, either by the adhesive in the narrow band used to attachthe label to the bottle, if this be the only adhesive provided ordesired to be employed, or by all of the adhesive on the reverse face ofthe label, the backing portion 23 or any corresponding backing beingremoved to expose the additional adhesive. It will be evident thatsecurement of the label in the medical record does not require use ofadhesive over the entire area of the label, although it is preferablefrom the standpoint of certainty of retention of the label to employsuch a large area of adhesive. Of course, the label might be secured inthe record by means other than adhesive.

The label has been described and illustrated as one for recording datain connection with the intravenous administration of a solution from anecked bottle, but as already indicated the invention is not limited tothis specic employment of the label. The label may be used generally inconnection with ow or discharge of flowable material, liquid or solid,from a suitable container, in order to conform to the container contoursWithout appreciable distortion and thus allow the label to be used forclear and legible recording of entries. It may also, obviously, be usedon vari-contoured containers of other material for recording processing,transportation, time, or other data as to the material or container. Theattention-arresting portion of the label extending free of the containerof course operates in such other applications also.

It will be understood that the single embodiment of the inventiondisclosed is only exemplary of the inventive concept.

I claim:

1. A recording label for a vari-contoured container, comprising thinflexible sheet material and having a front face for recording entries, aself-sticking adhesive on the reverse face allowing readily removableattachment of the label to the container, said adhesive being disposedin at least a narrow band of the label along a single edge thereof, saidnarrow band being closely conformable to container contours, and aremovable backing covering said adhesive and comprising a narrow stripcorresponding to said narrow band of the label, whereby the label may beattached to the container only by the adhesive in said band for closeconformity to the container contours without substantial distortion andwith said single edge substantially in an axial plane of the container.

2. A label substantially as dened in claim 1, in which said adhesive isdisposed on a portion of said reverse face additional to said narrowband, and said backing includes a portion additional to said narrowstrip and has a separation between said additional backing portion andnarrow strip allowing removal of the strip while leaving the additionalbacking portion in place.

3. A label substantially as `defined in claim 2, in which uponattachment of the label to the container all of the label except saidnarrow band extends free of the container, whereby to allow smoothengagement of any part thereof on the container surface for legiblerecording of entries and also to constitute an attention-attractingelement.

4. A label substantially as dened in claim 2, including means forsecuring the label to a record holder, said securing means comprisingsaid adhesive.

5. A label substantially as defined in claim 1, in which upon attachmentof the label to the container the label, except for said narrow band,extends free of the container to allow smooth engagement of any partthereof on the container surface for legible recording of entries.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,049,646 l/l9l3 Barnesby 40-2 X2,507,684 5/1950 Smith 73-428 X 2,614,349 10/1952 Barnes 40-2 3,437,2434/ 1969 Farnsworth 12S-214 X EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner W. I.CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

